Give it time
by OtterAndTerrier
Summary: [COMPLETE] She was /not/ jealous of him. She had no excuses to be jealous of him. Did she? - Han gets some unexpected female attention and it bothers Leia... for the rebellion's sake, of course.


**A/N:** For those of you who don't know, this week is **Han/Leia Appreciation Week** on Tumblr, hosted by the blog **han-leia-solo** which set a different prompt for each day. I'd ever only cared about and participated in appreciation events for Ron/Hermione, so I was very excited about this and managed to make something for every day. This one was posted on Monday for the prompt "jealousy". I thought something like this might have happened at some point–and I wanted to use this chance to create my own headcanon about how a certain something else happened. _Razor's Edge_ references for fun. Thanks a lot to **titasjournal** for proof-reading this and to **theprincessleia** for Leia's new nickname! Happy H/L Week!

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Leia spotted Alia Terae walking up to the _Millennium_ _Falcon_ and frowned, sensing trouble.

From the moment they had met the group of Alderaanian survivors turned pirates outside Arnot Station, Terae—while not much younger than Leia—had given her the impression of a teenager with authority issues and a combative nature, eager to spring up at the merest provocation. After their incident in the clearinghouse, where her captain had been murdered, her attitude had softened towards Leia and the rest of her crew, becoming less defensive and more willing to work together. She had always seemed to have a problem with Han, though, and joining the Alliance with Kelvan and the rest of the _Aegis_ didn't necessarily change that. In fact, Leia had seen her sullenly sizing Han up on the few times they had crossed paths after returning from the trading port where the _Aegis_ had rendezvoused with the _Falcon_. Han didn't appear to take notice.

So it was kind of ominous that Terae was now purposefully heading in search of Han without anyone summoning her there—at least, Leia had no reason to think Han had. Leia decided to keep an eye on their interaction from her position behind Luke's X-wing, just in case. In the interest of keeping everyone civil and out of trouble. She had been going to talk to Han herself before she'd struck up conversation with Luke; if things looked about to get messy, she could easily go over there and dismiss Terae.

'You still there, Leia?' Luke pulled his head out of the engine hatch where he had been working and was looking questioningly at her. Leia supposed she might have stopped listening as she tracked her fellow Alderaanian's steps. Unfortunately, Luke was quick at picking out her distraction. 'Hey—isn't that… Terae, is it?'

'Be quiet. And don't point.'

'Okaaay. But why?'

Leia turned to him briefly to explain. 'She doesn't get along with Han; I just want to make sure they won't start arguing in the middle of the hangar.'

'Then why is she looking for him?'

'That's why I'm trying to figure out, flyboy.' She turned back to where the Corellian freighter was docked a few yards away, his pilot tinkering with something on the ramp, and saw Terae was already there calling for Han's attention. Han looked away from whatever he was fixing—or unfixing—only long enough to acknowledge the woman before going back to his work. Undeterred, Terae continued trying to engage him in conversation, pointing at this and that, until she was able to chip away at Han's indifference.

'Seems like they're getting along,' Luke commented cheerfully after a while, turning his focus to his own ship and to the story he had been telling to Leia.

Leia's attention wasn't as easily swayed. She narrowed her eyes at the two people now chatting rather animatedly in the distance—since when were they so chummy with each other? Something wasn't right.

Han had left what he had been doing to focus his full attention on Terae. He'd braced one hand over his head on a strut, the other resting on his hip, legs crossed at the ankles. Terae was standing closer than it was formally acceptable for two people who barely knew each other. Leia noticed it was the first time she saw her with her blond hair out of its tight bun, spilling just past her shoulders and catching the light.

'This is unacceptable,' Leia hissed.

'What?' Luke cursed as he banged his head with the hatch. 'Are they arguing, then?'

'No,' Leia said through gritted teeth, 'they're flirting.'

'Oh!' Luke sounded almost relieved as he rubbed a hand over his bump, until he caught Leia's scowl. 'And that's… bad?'

'It's inappropriate.'

'I didn't know… uh… intimate relations were forbidden,' Luke said, turning a bit red.

For some reason, Leia found herself struggling before admitting, 'They're not.'

'So… what's the problem? Besides, they're just talking. I think you're reading too much into it.'

Leia loved Luke, but he could be really naïve about some things—although, unlike Han, she would never point it out to him.

'The problem is, there's work to do. _Intimate relationships_ aren't forbidden as long as they don't get in the way of people's commitment with the Alliance. And… they don't even like each other. There's no point in—anything! It'll only serve to cause trouble.'

Luke didn't say anything for a moment. In the meantime, Han's laugh resounded across the hangar. It made Leia clench her jaw even harder.

'Leia… are you—?' Leia directed her glare at Luke, and he closed his mouth before the rest of the sentence was out. He cleared his throat and tried again. 'I mean, if they're not doing anything wrong…'

'I was on my way to talk to Han, anyway,' Leia said, ignoring Luke's words, 'and it can't wait until they finish making eyes at each other. Excuse me.'

And with that, she strode away.

Han saw her approaching and Terae turned around when she noticed his shift in focus. She gave a curt bow. 'Your Highness.'

'Terae,' Leia said with a nod. 'If you'll excuse me, I need to have a word with Captain Solo. I'm sure you can continue your conversation at a more convenient time.'

'Of course.' She sounded polite, but there was a tilt in Terae's chin that told Leia her interruption wasn't welcome, princess or not. 'See you around, Solo.' She gave Han an almost impish grin, as if they shared some private joke, turned on her heel, and left.

'You got something for me?' Han asked.

Leia breathed through her nose and took her eyes off Terae's retreating form. 'That's right.' She held out the datapad she'd been clutching for Han to take. 'I didn't know you and Terae had become such good friends.'

Han took the device and began scrolling through the information. 'We're not. Wait— _Ord Mantell?_ '

'Well, you looked really close just now,' Leia pushed on.

'I guess.' Han held up the datapad and pointed at the screen, as if she hadn't seen the information yet. 'That's a Priority Sector for the Empire.'

'Yes, we're aware.'

'Then why the hell are _you_ going there?'

'Because I'm available, capable, and in no more danger than anyone else.'

'Leia, this place—'

Leia huffed wearily; he was probably the only person ranked lower than her that ever dared question her every order. 'Believe it or not, Han, we do our research here. I put you forward for the job because we need a fast ship, _precisely_ because we don't mean to linger. If you don't want it—'

'All right, all right, I was just sayin'!' He shook his head at her and went back to reading the details of the mission, looking grumpy. Leia ignored it.

'Before you two get any closer, I need to remind you that you're not yet official Alliance personnel.'

Distracted, Han asked. 'Who?'

'You and Terae.'

He looked like he couldn't even remember who Terae was. 'And?'

'And Terae has been with us for less than a month, but she hasn't signed in yet, either,' Leia replied. 'We don't need anything—or anyone—discouraging her from doing so.'

Han frowned at her and crossed his arms. 'What makes you think I'd do that?'

'I don't know and I don't care to find out. In fact,' she said, reaching a decision, 'you're not to get involved with anyone around here.'

Han stared at her in disbelief. A second later, he was grinning smugly. 'My, I didn't know you were the jealous type, Princess. If you wanted to be exclusive, you should just have said so!'

'Don't be stupid,' Leia snapped, looking angrily at him—though she couldn't help the blush creeping up the back of her neck. 'Your wishful thinking has nothing to do with it.'

'Yeah? Then what is it about, Your Untouchableness?'

'I thought I'd just made it clear. If you're not committed to the rebellion, you can't commit to anyone, and we can't have you breaking people's hearts on top of everything else.' The logic of this argument was the only reason Leia accepted as truth. She was _not_ jealous of him. She had no excuses to be jealous of him. Did she?

'I didn't do anything. Did you know _Alia_ came over on her own?' Han drawled, smirking. 'Looked pretty decent, too, with her hair like that. She can be fun, when she lets herself.'

Ignoring a strong impulse to punch him for being so insufferable, Leia said, 'I don't care what she looks like or what she does: you won't encourage her.'

She waited for Han to mention that, as he wasn't official personnel, she couldn't order him to do anything, but instead Han said, 'So what, if I sign in with you rebels, I can get involved with the women around here?'

Outrage rose within her. 'Not if that's your only reason!'

'Too bad,' Han said, appearing casual as he went back to examine the datapad, ''cos I thought maybe I would.'

Leia scoffed. 'Of course you were.'

'No, really. I was talking about it with Chewie this morning. Reckon if I have to run from the Empire, I might as well keep running from Jabba and stick around.'

Leia had expected the day Han finally agreed to put his name down as a freedom fighter to be momentous. Marked by metaphorical trumpets and a good deal of grumbling about not believing in suicide causes and still meaning to get paid. Mostly, she hadn't expected it to ever happen at all. A big part of her still didn't.

'If you're kidding with me—'

'I'm not.' Han looked up and cocked an eyebrow at her. 'You've been harping on about me stayin' since I met you. Well, you got me.'

Her mind seemed to be in shock, but under it she registered the urge to… jump around. Throw her arms around his neck. Do anything.

Leia only managed to say, 'This means a lot to us, Han.'

He twisted his mouth but nodded.

'Sure.' He held out the datapad and added, 'Still, I'm gonna put off signing up till we get back from that junkyard, if you don't mind. I'll need the money for repairs, mark my words.'

Leia rolled her eyes, but this comment didn't make her growing elation disappear.

 _He's staying_.

It was foolish nonsense, but she hadn't felt this warm since they'd set foot on the new base in Hoth a week ago.

She took a step forward to retrieve her datapad and, before she could change her mind, laid a hand on Han's arm and looked up at him.

'Thank you. I really appreciate it.'

She was standing nearer than Terae had ever been—nearer than Leia usually let herself be with Han given his penchant for misunderstanding—but she didn't move right away. Han leaned in and she started to regret it, even as her stomach fluttered.

'Yeah. You didn't answer me, though. Can I get involved with the women around here now?'

Leia stepped back and snatched her hand off him, eyes flashing. 'If you're really that interested in Terae—you know what, you can do whatever you want, Han, as long as—'

'I wasn't talking about Terae.'

Her pulse quickened, and the memory of a conversation in a cramped 'fresher weeks ago came to the front of her mind. It had been the only available spot to discuss their plans in private, yet it had proved incredibly distracting—for both of them. They weren't in immediate danger now, though. He was staying. Whatever he wanted from her, he hadn't given up the chase yet. Still…

'You can do whatever you want,' Leia said slowly, locking her eyes on his, 'as long as the woman in question wants to be involved with you. I have work to do.'

She turned her back on him and started to walk, mentally swatting away the shreds of regret and longing that she knew she couldn't entertain, not when it collided with what duty demanded of her. If he was staying, it'd have to be for the rebellion, not her.

From behind her, Leia heard Han calling.

'Give it time, sweetheart!'


End file.
